After "I Believe"Sample

Day Two: How to Bible

After you assume your new identity as a child of God and a saint, you need a roadmap for the journey ahead. That’s the Bible. 

Jesus was once asked a number of questions by a group of spiritual explorers. He answered each one of them patiently, but finally, after the questions kept coming and coming, He turned around and asked them, “Have you not read what God said to you?” (Matthew 22:31). Jesus was surprised that people who claimed to be interested in spiritual things had never bothered to read the primary text. 

You must not make that mistake. 

But how do you read the Bible? 

First, get a contemporary translation to read. Some examples of more modern translations that I would recommend include the New International Version and the New Living Translation. 

Now, where to start? I’d start with Jesus. He’s the heart of it all. This means starting with one of the four biographies of His life —the New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. 

But how do you interpret what you read? Just read it with a normal eye toward discovery. Consider the Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? Ask questions like, Who is speaking? Who was it written to? What are the main ideas? 

Finally, and most important of all, read the Bible with a heart of reflection. The Hebrew word for meditate means “to mutter or to mumble, to make a low sound.” It was the habit of people reflecting on the Scriptures to turn the words and meanings over and over in their minds. The point is not to verbally repeat the words you study aloud, but to so reflect upon them that they penetrate into the depths of your heart. 

That is the key to all Bible reading. Not how many times you’ve gone through the Bible, but how many times the Bible has gone through you. 

This means you can read the Bible one of two ways. You can read it with a surrendered heart where with every page you ask yourself, “What attitude do I need to change? What do I need to start or stop doing? What relationships do I need to work on?”

Or you can read it with a defensive, rebellious spirit that fights its work in your life. It’s your call. But only one will give you the life in Christ you long for. 

Consider how you currently approach the Bible. How might you begin to read it more intentionally and reflectively? Are you prepared to live out the truth that you encounter in the Bible?